What is waxing?Almost any area of the body can be waxed, including eyebrows, face, pubic area (called bikini waxing), legs, arms, back, abdomen and feet. There are many types of waxing suitable for removing unwanted hair. Strip waxing (soft wax) is accomplished by spreading a wax thinly over the skin.

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Gather the necessary waxing supplies. The first step is to buy an at-home waxing kit or make your own sugar wax.

There are many types of home waxing kits on the market — the two major options are regular waxing kits (where cloth strips are used to pull the wax from the body) and hard waxing kits (where the wax itself dries and can be pulled off without the need for strips).

Regular wax is perfect for legs and underarms, while hard wax works best on the coarse hair in your bikini area.

Prepare the wax according to the instructions on the packaging. Many waxes can simply be melted in the microwave.

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Wax your legs. Before you begin waxing your legs, wash them in warm water to open the pores and make the hair easier to remove. Waxing is also more effective on freshly washed skin.

When the wax is ready, use the wooden stick provided (or use a clean popsicle stick) to apply the wax to a patch of skin in the direction of the hair growth.

Place one of the provided cloths on top and press it firmly into the wax by stroking it in the same direction as the hair growth.

Wait approximately 10 seconds, then rip the cloth from the skin, in the opposite direction to the hair growth. Try to do this in one fluid movement, keeping your hand close and parallel to the skin. Don’t try to pull the strip up, as this could bruise or irritate the skin.

Repeat this process all over the leg, taking care not to apply wax to the same area twice (this is very irritating on skin). When you’re done, rinse your legs in cool water (not hot) to remove any traces of wax.

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Wax your underarms. The process for waxing underarm hair is almost identical to waxing your legs. However, removing underarm hair is a little more awkward (as you can only use one hand) and painful (so you may want to take a painkiller or use some numbing cream first).

Before waxing, scrub your underarms clean with a loofah, soap and warm water. This will help to soften the skin and open the pores, making waxing less painful.

When you’re ready, apply the hot wax, stroking it on in the same direction as the hair growth. Your underarm hair grows in two directions so make sure you wax this area in two stages against the direction of hair growth.

Put your hand behind your head and stretch your arm back. Press a cloth strip over the hot wax, using firm strokes in the direction of the hair growth. Make sure to leave a little piece of loose cloth at the top of the strip, as this will allow you to grasp it firmly.

After ten seconds, quickly rip the cloth from the skin in the opposite direction to the hair growth. If this movement feels a little awkward to do one-handed, ask a close friend to help you.

Repeat the process with any remaining hair on that armpit, then do the same on the other side. Wash your armpit with cool water to remove any remaining wax and avoid using any deodorants or body sprays over the next few hours.

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Wax your pubic hair. Waxing the hair around your bikini line and pubic area can be a little bit scary, but the process is more or less the same as other types of waxing. Just be sure to get a waxing kit designed specifically for this area and remember that hard wax is recommended, as it sticks to coarse hair better.

Before you begin, you will need to decide how much hair you want to remove. Do you just want to remove the hair outside your bikini line? Do your want to make a triangle? A landing strip? If you like, you can give yourself a Brazilian (removing all the hair) but this can be quite tricky and it’s recommended that you go to a professional.

Next, wash the skin around the bikini line, as this will help to make the waxing less painful. If the hair is long, trim it with a safety scissors until it’s about 1⁄4 inch (0.6 cm) in length.

Waxing your bikini line will need to be done while lying down, so you can access all areas. Try laying a towel across your bed so you can be comfortable and avoid getting wax on the covers. It might also be helpful to prop a mirror nearby, so you can see exactly want you’re doing.

Lie down on the bed, propping your head up with a pillow so you can look down while you work. Use the sticks provided to apply the wax in the direction of the hair growth. If you’re using hard wax, wait 10 to 15 seconds for it to harden. If you’re using regular wax, rub the cloth strips firmly onto the wax.

Pull the skin taut with your free hand, then grab the edge of the cloth or the hardened wax and rip it off in a single fluid motion in the opposite direction to the hair’s growth. Try to pull the wax across rather than up, as this is less painful and will cause less irritation.

Work your way around the bikini line, avoiding going over the same skin twice. You can use a tweezers to pluck out any missed hairs at the end. When you’re done, you can apply a little baby oil to soothe the area and get rid of any wax residue. Avoid using soap or shower gel around this area for the next 24 hours, as recently waxed skin is easily irritated.

Benefits of waxingThere are many benefits to waxing versus other forms of hair removal. It is an effective method to remove large amounts of hair at one time. It is a long-lasting method. Hair in waxed areas will not grow back for two to eight weeks.

Salon or Spa: Expect to pay $30- $55 for a half leg (ankle to knee or knee to thighs, not including bikini zone- both legs) or $45 -$100 for a full leg (ankle to thighs, not including bikini zone- both legs). That’s not counting gratuity (usually 15 – 20% of base service price) and any tax that might be added by your state.